Supply-Side Platform Examples: Top 5 Options for Maximizing Publishers' Revenue

With digital marketing technologies evolving, publishers have a wide spectrum of opportunities to capitalize on their ad inventory. The only problem may be the lack of understanding of how programmatic advertising works and how to grab the lucky chance.

The gateway to this wonderful world of opportunities is called a supply-side platform (SSP). Publishers of all sizes and industries can benefit from it if they make a smart choice.

In this article, we’ll explore five SSP examples and delve into their key features. We’ll also discuss how to choose the right platform and give you tips on how to maximize your efforts. As a result, you’ll be able to unlock the full potential of your ad inventory, increase its performance, and eventually earn more.

What Is a Supply-Side Platform?

Programmatic advertising became a pivotal technology for digital marketing because it allowed publishers and advertisers to sell and buy ad space automatically. Real-time bidding (RTB) played a crucial role in this process.

Before RTB, deals between publishers and advertisers had to be made manually, with time-consuming negotiations about prices and other terms. With RTB, the process is significantly simplified. Now, publishers offer ad inventory, and advertisers participate in auctions. The one who places the highest bid wins and gets to show the ad to the visitor of the publisher’s website. The whole process takes milliseconds and is performed automatically. Normally, auctions take place on marketplaces called ad exchanges.

That’s great, you may say, but what does the SSP have to deal with all of that? Every deal has two main parts: a publisher and an advertiser. Each of them has to access the auction via a specific platform. For advertisers, it’s a demand-side platform (DSP), and for publishers, it’s a supply-side platform (SSP).

So, an SSP is software that allows publishers to sell, manage, and optimize their ad inventory while getting more money for ad impressions.

How Does SSP Work?

The process of selling and buying ads in each of the supply-side platform examples looks like this:

1. The customer visits the publishers’ website or mobile app.
2. The real-time bidding auction begins.
3. The website accesses the SSP and sends a request to show an ad to the customer.
4. The SSP analyzes the data and makes a decision about the availability of an ad space. Let’s say it’s a positive decision.
5. The data goes to different DSPs (usually via an ad exchange), and they make their bids.
6. The highest bid wins, and the ad is shown to the customer.

As you can see, DSP and SSP are equally important pieces of the programmatic advertising puzzle. Since SSP is our main topic today, let’s proceed to its numerous advantages.

What Are the Benefits of SSPs?

An SSP is a critical element of the programmatic ecosystem for several reasons. One is that it helps publishers increase their revenue without investing additional time and effort. The SSP’s algorithms ensure the best price for ad space provided by every publisher.

Here are some other advantages of supply-side platforms:

• Automation of ad placement. An SSP can automatically access the demand side of programmatic advertising and sell the ad inventory 24/7.
• Lots of opportunities to sell. SSPs can connect to various ad exchanges, DSPs, and ad networks. As a result, they can reach many advertisers.
• Better targeting. SSPs grant access to valuable data about potential audiences. Hence, publishers can adjust their ad inventory and make it more suitable for visitors. Eventually, it will help increase eCPM and revenue
• Control over the ad inventory. For example, publishers can set a minimum price (so-called price floor) for ad space and change it when necessary (say, increase it during the hot season). Also, SSPs can control the frequency of showing the same ad to avoid customers’ irritation. Moreover, publishers can control the types of ads on their websites to ensure that ads are consistent with their brand.
• Data access and reporting. SSPs allow publishers to better understand their audience and monitor ad performance. Hence, they can adjust their ad inventory to optimize revenue. Also, with an SSP’s help, publishers can get insights about their current advertisers: who’s bidding on their ad space, how much ad inventory they buy, etc.

SSPs are powerful tools for publishers, guiding them through the complexities of the digital marketing landscape. They make managing ad inventory and maximizing revenue much easier without sacrificing the quality. Now, let’s explore some of the best spp examples.

Supply-Side Platform Examples: What Are the Top 5 Options?

Since an SSP provides so many benefits for publishers, it makes sense to find out more about these platforms. Here’s an overview of the most popular options.

Google Ad Manager

This is one of the most famous supply-side platform examples. It appeared because of merging Google AdX and Google DFP (DoubleClick for Publishers), so it combines the functionality of a supply-side platform and an ad exchange.

It allows publishers to manage their ad inventory on websites, mobile apps, etc. Its advantages include:

• Advanced reporting features and a convenient dashboard.
• Many ad formats, including display, video, and native.
• Safeguarding against fraud, malware, etc.
• Access to Google’s big network of advertisers. Also, Google Ad Manager supports multiple third-party ad exchanges and networks.

Google Ad Manager is one of the top choices for large publishers. Among its clients are the publishing company Condé Nast and the dating app Tinder.

OpenX

OpenX is an omnichannel SSP that is famous for its transparency. It provides a platform for real-time bidding (OpenX Bidder), tools like OpenX Mobile and OpenX Video to access mobile and video advertisers, and a tool for audience segmentation (OpenAudience).

Also, OpenX’s advantages include:

• A solution for header bidding. It’s a technology that gives publishers an opportunity to offer ad inventory to advertisers before selling it. This may result in higher bids and, therefore, higher revenue.
• Access to premium advertisers via OpenX Private Marketplaces.
• Quality and safety control.

OpenX has many large clients, in particular, consulting and financial businesses. Some examples are Ernst & Young, JP Morgan Chase & Co., and Samsung Electronics.

PubMatic

PubMatic is a cloud infrastructure platform that offers publishers omnichannel monetization. Except for display, video, and mobile ads, PubMatic is pursuing the CTV (connected TV) format, which has been significantly growing in popularity recently.

Advantages of this SSP include:

• Premium header bidder solution, along with real-time bidding.
• Ensuring ad quality due to partnerships with ad quality enterprises.
• Tools for fraud prevention.

Many companies from retail, digital media, online education, and other industries choose PubMatic, including Toyota Motors, FOX, Kohl's Corporation, and Coursera.

Xandr

The former name of this SSP is AppNexus, and now it’s a part of the Microsoft Advertising ecosystem. It offers solutions both for publishers and advertisers, as well as Xandr ad exchange. Xandr is known for its strong analytical capabilities and some other benefits:

• Header bidding options are available even for mobile and video publishers.
• Cross-screen solutions, such as display, video, and CTV.
• Precise targeting that guarantees the ad relevance and quality.

There are well-known publishers among Xandr’s clients, such as the Seattle Times, Ouest France, and Schibsted.

Sovrn

This example of a supply-side platform is attractive thanks to its advanced analytics and simplified installation and management, in addition to the header bidding feature. Also, Sovrn allows publishers to:

• Manage ad blocking with the Ad Block Unblock tool.
• Monetize in-app data and some other types of data, such as information about visitors’ locations.
• Analyze ad inventory performance, bids, advertisers’ data, etc.

Sovnr is continuing to introduce new features. For example, in spring 2024, it announced a tool that helps increase publishers’ revenue by 10% due to dynamic pricing. The online parents community Mumsnet, for instance, achieved a 21% yield uplift.

Bonus: Epom Ad Server

All the abovementioned supply-side platform examples are beneficial alternatives for companies looking to monetize their ad inventory. Sure, there are too many more options in the market to cover them all in one article. But before proceeding, it’s important to add that an SSP can take many forms. It can be separate software or part of a bigger solution, such as an ad server.

Also, there’s a type of software called a white-label SSP, which means an SSP that was initially created by one company but now others can buy and rebrand it for themselves. A white-label SSP saves time and effort because it makes using several SSPs, ad exchanges, and ad networks obsolete. One product allows publishers to find enough advertisers and increase fill rates on their ad inventory.

One of the best examples in this niche is Epom's white-label solution. It can be used as an SSP, adding the publisher’s ad inventory to the supply of ad placements it offers.

Now, you know your options, so we can help you develop criteria for choosing the right SSP advertising tool.

How to Choose the Right SSP?

Every publisher is unique, even though there’s one aspiration that unites them all: the desire to maximize earnings. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to understand what factors are the most important in your case. You can start with these questions:

• What are our needs? What inventory type can we work with (display, native, video, CTV, etc.)?
• What traffic volume can our websites, apps, etc. generate?
• What is the geographical distribution of our visitors?
• What are the biggest problems of monetizing our ad inventory today?

Then, consider the key features of SSP that you may or may not need. Among them:

• Support of header bidding
• Variety of ad formats
• Reporting tools
• Analytical tools
• Opportunity to optimize campaigns and maximize bids in real-time
• Brand safety features
• Customization features

Leading supply-side platform examples have all or almost all of them, but every SSP has its focus. For example, Google Ad Manager provides integration with Google's ad ecosystem, OpenX focuses on transparency and quality, PubMatic specializes in mobile and video ads, Xandr has strong data management capabilities, and Sovnr offers the Ad Block Unblock tool. Ask yourself: what features are the most important for you?

Also, it makes sense to try some SSPs and understand how easy they are to use. Do you like the interface? Is the dashboard convenient enough?

Finally, pay attention to the platforms’ integration capabilities. Which SSPs can integrate with various ad exchanges and data management platforms?

After answering these questions, you’ll be on the right track to choose the best SSP for your needs.

How to Use Your SSP to the Best?

To turn your SSP into a real money-making tool, you must study its features and use it wisely. Here are some tips that may help you achieve the best possible outcomes.

Tip 1. Set a Clear Goal

For instance, how much do you want to earn with your ad inventory? Make your goal sound ambitious yet realistic. Remember to consider your industry potential.

Tip 2. Optimize Your Inventory

For example, you can create ad packages that will attract advertisers, organize your ad space, and experiment with responsive ads.

Tip 3. Pay Attention to Price Floors

Before setting the minimum price for your ad inventory, check out the historical data. Also, it’s helpful to adjust price floors depending on demand trends. Floors can and should be different for different ad spaces so they reflect popularity, viewability, and other factors.

Tip 4. Keep Improving User Experience

Every publisher can benefit from faster loading speeds, so you may consider investing in them. Also, SSPs allow you to manage the frequency of showing the same ads, so don’t neglect this feature. Ad fatigue can lead to plummeting ad performance, and you don’t want that.

Multiple programmatic advertising examples prove that with all these tips in mind, you’re fully equipped for the journey to higher revenue.

Conclusion

After reviewing the top 5 supply side platform examples, you are aware of key features to look for in SSPs. You also know your goals and factors that are the most important for you.

Choosing the right SSP isn’t a decision to take lightly and in a hurry. If made correctly, it can help you earn more on your ad inventory, get valuable data insights, and find the best advertisers. Luckily, many SSPs offer free trial access. For example, you can try all the features of Epom Ad Server for free before deciding if it’s the right platform for your needs.

FAQ

• What is a supply-side platform?
  An SSP is software that allows publishers to sell, manage, and optimize their ad inventory while maximizing revenue.
• What are the main benefits of SSPs?
  SSPs can connect to various ad exchanges, DSPs, and ad networks, reaching many advertisers simultaneously. Also, SSPs grant access to valuable data about potential audiences, provide more control over the ad inventory, and have valuable reporting tools.
• What are the best SSP examples?
  The most popular options are Google Ad Manager, OpenX, PubMatic, Xandr, and Sovrn. Each provides various features, such as real-time bidding, a variety of ad formats, reporting tools, analytical tools, brand safety features, etc.
• How do I choose the right SSP?
  You can start by assessing your needs and considering features that are essential for you. You can also try some SSPs and understand how easy they are to use.
• How can I make the most out of my SSP?
  First, set a clear goal. Then, optimize your ad inventory, establish (and keep dynamically adjusting) price floors for all your placements, and continue working on improving user experience.